Are you tired of the cold northwest dumping more than snow on you? Awaiting you is a warmer yet wet little area of the northwest not commonly mentioned.While browsing the internet two days ago, I came across a phenomenal breakthrough in opportunities to fit your specialty.

The Best Job in the World

By clicking on the above link, you will be connected directly to the site where awaiting you is an opening needing the greatest neurologist in the world who also specializes in movement disorders, among other specialties.

Let’s take a quick look at the magnitude of this opportunity, as stated in the job description:

Premier southwest Oregon private practice is currently scheduling interviews for a board-certified / board-eligible Neurologist.

You will have the opportunity to sub-specialize in the following areas (fellowship training preferred): Cerebrovascular Disease/Stroke, EEG/EMG, Epilepsy, Movement Disorders, Multiple Sclerosis, Neurophysiology, Sleep Disorders, Pain or Pediatrics.

-Enjoy a competitive starting salary, comprehensive benefits, pension plan, and partnership track when you join this dynamic clinic (Please note they said ‘dynamic’ – I didn’t have to entice you with big words)
-Be busy from day one (I will be your first patient to guarantee this benefit!)
-Large catchment area of over 600,000 offering a solid patient base (I can also guarantee a solid patient base as Parkinson’s Journey has several of your past patients patiently waiting to hear that you’re not too far away from landing nearby, and ready, if need be, to welcome you at the newly renovated Rogue Valley International Airport, with two baggage turnstiles and all on one convenient level!)
-Well-established physician referral network (I’m not sure how I can guarantee this one.)
-Collegial practice environment (I can guarantee this, as the university is so close and think of all the young minds you could mentor.)
-Terrific work-life balance (I can guarantee this by stating that your drive to work will not be anywhere near what you had to drive to get to Spokane / Liberty Lake – unless of course you find a home that far out again!)

The Medford Neurological & Spine Clinic has a 44-year history of offering comprehensive neurological services. As the only full-service clinic in the surrounding area, our clinic staffs both neurologists and neurosurgeons and specializes in adult and pediatric neurology, electro-diagnostic studies, stealth frameless CT- / MRI-guided cranial surgery, skull base surgery, microsurgical spinal surgery, transphenoidal adenomectomy and stereotactic radiosurgery consultations. (Isn’t that just so exciting?!!!)

Would you consider joining our team? Apply today! (Please!!!)

If the above weren’t enough to entice you, get your wife and read on (I will highlight the strong points for you):

Medford, Oregon is surrounded by beautiful mountains and offers moderate temperatures year-round. (Consider the lack of snow shoveling you’ll have to do!) You will appreciate our outdoor recreation, such as golf, mountain biking, fishing, boating and skiing, as well as enjoy our first-class day spas, outdoor concerts, award-winning theatre performances, and monthly festivals. Medford, Oregon offers affordable luxury homes, excellent public and private schools, and LOW PROPERTY TAXES; plus there is NO SALES TAX in the state of Oregon! And, for those who enjoy the beach, the Pacific coast is a short 2.5 hour drive from Medford. Come home to Medford! Apply today!

And now, if that still hasn’t convinced you, consider these pros (cons are of no concern here):

~ Gardening in Medford cannot be compared to anywhere else on earth. Prize winning pumpkins, world famous pears and more await the avid gardener and his/her spouse.

~ Cultural activities are as diverse as the world famous Ashland Shakespeare Festival or the Jackson County Draft Horse Pull.

~ Guided tours of Harry and David, where free samples of raspberry shortbread cookies are handed out when the tour ends.

~ Holiday events galore to welcome the Christmas season and more – Gingerbread House Festival, Ashland Christmas Parade with the spikey head snowmen and fun beyond belief.

~ Farmer’s Market through the summer months with fresh fruits and veggies. Dogs have been banned which takes away the fear of being devoured while shopping.

~ Discounts at the supermarket Friday mornings on old breads and meats.

~ Nearby and historical Jacksonville offers a peaceful atmosphere and the Britt Festival with world famous musical artists such as James Taylor.

Now, some may think I’m being selfish and that I just want my doctor back (which I cannot deny as being true and don’t relish the thought of anyone else messing with my brain), but really I’m just worried about you not having the opportunity to touch other’s lives with your calling. At the very least, with all attempts of humor set aside, I hope you know just how much you are missed.

Sherri

Often when you read about those who are suffering with Parkinson’s disease, the article refers to those who are a tad bit older, over 60 usually.   We don’t often see articles, information, etc. on people under 50 who are fighting this little monster (often harder because it tends to hit the younger crowd a bit harder).

Thought you all might enjoy this article…

The Young Faces of Parkinson’s Disease

Enjoy!

Sherri

I posted a suggestion on a support site I frequent and wanted to share the responses so far. Enjoy!

Everything is harder to do with Parkinson’s. I’ll give you an example – you have to kick your foot against the wall to get your shoe all the way on. Now, this can have its advantages. For one thing, you get your shoe on. For another, it offers an opportunity for exercise, I’ll be it small, but anything counts.

Now, this is also true of trying to put your shorts on when you are not completely dry. This is quite impossible with one hand/arm as, we who have PD know the other is often rendered useless as it jumps back and forth while catching glimpses of you as you struggle with your good hand. The advantage? You are definitely burning more calories in the struggle!

Finally, for those of you who have lost a sense of smell, I have found myself being thankful for that just this last week. A friend and I passed a farm with thousands of cows. And where there are thousands of cows, there are thousands of cow patties!!! As the other person in the car was all but throwing up at the horrendous smell, I just smiled and thanked God that while I do miss smelling a rose or the top of a baby’s head or the afterscent of fresh fallen rain, I don’t miss the smell of a thousand cows or the skunk that often frequents our yard and leave its calling card.

***

I’m enjoying having something to blame for the oddities. It could be my age or the medicine causing these things and, although I don’t often tell people, I like having PD to blame when I’m talking to myself about my odd behavior. For example, I’m a chaplain at a Rescue Mission. I’ve caught myself falling asleep while listening to a client or worse yet, falling asleep while praying aloud for someone and then waking up, wondering what I’ve just said. So far the lapse has only been for a second or two, and no one has seemed to notice, but I do notice and am glad to have something jazzier than age to chalk it up to.

***

I volunteer one afternoon a week at the drop-in Alzheimer’s unit and often there is music time. The patients love to dance and so we dance in a group and hold hands. It’s so freeing to do things with them as some of them shake and don’t think it’s you but them shaking and, if they do notice, they don’t remember they do and so you really are free to be just you!

***

We so need to see the humor in life. I’m a firm believer that laughter is the best medicine. I have a couple of light stories:

#1
My grandson (3 yrs old), out of the blue, says, “Grandma, you have an old hand”.

I asked him what he meant.

“Because it shakes, it must be older than you!”

#2
I babysat my 1 month old granddaughter today. She was very fussy and when I held her against my tremor arm, she calmed down. Not really humor, but my daughter said it was an unexpected blessing!! My family is such a joy for me, just wanted to share.

***

If you didn’t laugh you’d cry, or so the saying goes. And whether it’s hailing,raining,snowing or blowing – it’s being so cheerful that keeps me going. Laughter is a great tonic. Be strong and keep smiling.

*

Here’s another advantage to PD: You can actually sit in a chair during an ‘off’ time and hold the fly swatter up and, due to the tremors, get flies as they are passing by. Quite an advantage I’d say. Of course, the flies have to be slow and you have to be shaking fast. But hey, anything’s possible.

***

I got my friends to crack up not too long ago.

We were at a sporting event where they were giving out those obnoxious clappers. I told them to get one for me and just put it in my right hand. They laughed and you could tell they were relieved I have a good attitude about it.

I also have lost some sense of smell. It’s great not to smell the garbage (but not when you have company coming by – get to blame my husband for not noticing, though!).

***

Last year as we were heading out on a trip to Alaska with our truck and camper, my 5 year old grandson called me “Grandma Snail”. My heart sank as I realized that he had picked up on my slowness of movement. I hadn’t felt the need to discuss my PD with our young Grandkids and I sighed as I asked our little cutie what had prompted him to call me by that name. With a twinkle in his eye, he responded, “Grandma — it’s because you and Grandpa pack your house on your back!” (camper on truck)

Aren’t grandkids a blessing?

***
This is the kind of stuff that makes us different. We can laugh at what we do, especially when kids point it out, and it makes it totally fine. My good friends crack up when I trip up at what I call “exit stage left” or when I find a new way to move more efficiently – like doing a 360 rather than simply walking forward.

Before my DBS surgery, I was able to run during a dyskinesia episode. I couldn’t walk, so I would run everywhere. Freaked out everyone and I loved it.

You may be less “handicapped” than you think and yes we can be funny too, if we let it happen.

***

And I thought that waxing my eyebrows today was funny…

***

Now I have no problem with fulfilling the directions to “shake well before using” directions. Just glad I don’t have to handle the explosive nitro-glycerine.

Most of you are probably enjoying the cool of your air conditioner (it’s over 100 here) and keeping up with the Olympics. Davis Phinney, father of current Olympic participant, Taylor Phinney, recently underwent deep brain stimulation surgery for Parkinson’s Disease. While in China to watch his son compete in the cycling events at the Olympics, NBC posted this awesome report:

Learn more about Davis Phinney’s journey!